1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for word processing and, more particularly, to a method and an apparatus for fixed format word processing in which the concept of database management is employed in the field of word processing, and which can provide the user with a managing tool with which documents of the same type can be stored together to facilitate searching and managing while obviating the need to redesign documents having the same format.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The concept of using file folders to manage documents of the same type has been around even before the advent of the computer age. When it is desired to fill up a document having a specified format, one goes to a file cabinet to retrieve the required blank form. After filling up the same, the document is placed in a file folder which contains documents of the same type. The currently available word processing apparatus such as, for example, the WORD (Reg. Trademark owned by Microsoft Corp., hereinafter the same) computer program released by MICROSOFT is more or less inclined to unrestrained editing of a single document, and lack reuse and managing functions for documents of the same type. However, work involving fixed format documents, such as facsimile transmissions, minutes of meetings, decisions, letters, reports, memorandums, etc., are in frequent use in our daily lives. The xe2x80x9ctemplatexe2x80x9d function of xe2x80x9cWORD Ver. 7.0xe2x80x9d provides the user with a number of basic formats of documents that are frequently encountered. A template generally comprises a pre-defined fixed document format. For example, when creating an official document, the form, borders and headings thereof are needed in each official document. Only the contents of the official document have to be inputted each time an official document is created. Thus, by using the template function of xe2x80x9cWORD ver. 7.0xe2x80x9d to create a new document, the time for creating the document format can be saved, thereby aiding the user in creating the document quickly. Although the xe2x80x9cWORDxe2x80x9d already provides the xe2x80x9ctemplatexe2x80x9d function to help the user create documents of the same type, which fully comply with the page specifications, there is no managing function which enables the user to store documents of the same format together in order to facilitate searching and management. In addition, it is inconvenient for the user to create his or her own template.
FIG. 8 is a system block diagram of a word processing apparatus formed from a computer that is loaded with xe2x80x9cWORD Ver. 7.0xe2x80x9d. When the user edits a document via xe2x80x9cWORD Ver. 7.0xe2x80x9d, information received externally by the input portion 81 is provided to the document and template editing means 83, which determines if the processing method requires document editing or template editing. However, since the operating domain of the two are entirely the same, the document and template editing means 83 will provide word processing, graphics tools, changes in parameter settings, etc., to the user for creating documents or templates. Documents 88 are stored via the document access means 85. On the other hand, templates 89 are stored via the template classification managing means 86, which classifies templates according to their nature, and the template access means 87. By means of the input portion 81, the full text indexing means 84 goes through the document access means 85 or the template access means 87 to provide the user with document or template indexing functions.
FIG. 9 is a flowchart which illustrates the operation performed by the user when the WORD-based word processing apparatus is used to edit a document. As shown, the user is given two options when it is desired to edit a document via xe2x80x9cWORD Ver. 7.0xe2x80x9d. When it is desired to modify an existing file, the xe2x80x9copen filexe2x80x9d option is selected in step S917, and in step S918 it is specified whether the file to be opened is a document or template. Editing or modifying is executed in step S919. When it is desired to create a new file, the xe2x80x9ccreate new filexe2x80x9d option is selected in step S910, and in step S911 it is specified whether the file to be created is a document or template. In step S912, there is a further option of selecting a template or using a blank form. Editing of the document or template is executed in step S913. After steps S919 or S913, storing in a single document or single template form is executed in step S914, and in step S915 the user is given the option of selecting and specifying a piece of paper for printing before the operation is terminated in step S916.
From the system block diagram and the operation flowchart, it can be understood that processing of documents or templates do not occur in separate routines in the prior art. In addition, there is no managing means for managing documents created from the same template. As such, it would be impossible to search for the data of all related documents.
The drawbacks associated with the use of xe2x80x9cWORD Ver. 7.0xe2x80x9d in processing and storing data are as follows:
1. Creation of templates and editing of documents cannot be easily grasped by the user as they do not occur in separate routines. First, one must be able to distinguish clearly the differences between templates and documents. If a facsimile format was retrieved from the file cabinet, this facsimile format is a template. The contents of the documents are the data inputted to fill up the blanks of each facsimile format. When xe2x80x9cWORD Ver. 7.0xe2x80x9d is used to perform data processing, the input of document contents and the creation of formats are mixed up and are not done in separate routines.
2. Unrestrained editing of a single document is stressed. Documents having the same format are independent files and thus, have no bridging relationship. Management is not easy since documents which are created using the same template are stored separately.
3. As pointed out in item 2, there is no collective managing of documents, thereby resulting in inconvenience when searching. For example, when it is desired to search for all facsimiles sent to the xe2x80x9cPatent Officexe2x80x9d from among all facsimile transmissions, one has to look at each facsimile file during the search. This is both laborious and time consuming.
4. The contents of the documents are not classified into different categories. Searching relies on full text indexing, which is not only time consuming and inaccurate but also makes it impossible to search by process conditions. For example, if it is desired to find a facsimile dated January 25, xe2x80x9cWORDxe2x80x9d will search all of the contents of the different facsimiles to find information relevant to January 25. However, this does not necessarily mean that the facsimile that was found actually has a date of January 25. In addition, it is not possible to perform a search for all facsimiles dated before January 25.
5. Since data is stored in text format, it is not possible to distinguish the same data written in different formats. For example, Jan. 25, 1997, 86th year of the Republic of China 1st Month 25th Day, and Jan. 25, 1997 all refer to the same date. However, xe2x80x9cWORDxe2x80x9d is unable to recognize the same when it is used to process data (such as when conducting a search).
6. Data already inputted cannot be reused. For example, it is not uncommon for one to send facsimiles to a particular company or business establishment. In this regard, the recipient, address, telephone and facsimile numbers are all related to the name of the company. In xe2x80x9cWORDxe2x80x9d, even though a facsimile has been previously sent, the above information has to be inputted again if another facsimile is to be sent.
Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a method and an apparatus for fixed format word processing which provide the user with a managing tool that is capable of storing documents of the same type together to facilitate searching and managing and that obviates the need to redesign documents having the same format.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a fixed format word processing method for a computer system with a data buffer region, an input portion and an output portion, comprises the steps of:
partitioning the data buffer region into a document base for storing different types of document folders, each of which has document data of the same format, into a layout base for storing document formats, and into an item list menu for storing document items;
providing a command input to select execution of template creation or search processing;
if template creation was selected for execution, performing at least one of a number of sub-steps including:
selecting one of a number of layouts which already include a plurality of the document items from the layout base for conducting modifications;
selecting a pre-defined one of a number of item lists from the item list menu for redesigning of one of the layouts; and
defining new document items and designing a new layout which includes the document items, the new document items and the new layout being stored separately in the item list menu and the layout base;
if search processing was selected for execution, specifying a search condition through the input portion; determining if the search condition is to be used to search the document base entirely or a specified one of the document folders; if only the specified one of the document folders is to be searched, retrieving selectively the specified one of the document folders from the document base to the data buffer region for comparison; if the document base is to be searched entirely, comparing the search condition with contents of the document base and retrieving selectively all documents in the document base which meet the search condition; and
combining corresponding ones of the document data, layout and item list in one of the document folders of the document base to form a specified complete one of the documents, and outputting the complete one of the documents via the output portion.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a fixed format word processing method for a computer system with a data buffer region, an input portion and an output portion, comprises the steps of:
partitioning the data buffer region into a document base for storing different types of document folders, each of which has document data of the same format, into a bridging relationship database for storing bridging relationship item data of documents, a layout base for storing document formats, and into an item list menu for storing document items;
providing a first command input to select execution of document editing management, template creation or search processing;
if document editing management was selected for execution, providing a second command input to perform at least one of document editing and document management for a specified one of the document folders in the document base to obtain processed data, the document editing including at least one of data copying, cutting, pasting, saving and item data inputting, the document management including at least one of modifying, deleting, saving and printing of the documents; resolving the processed data according to the different item types; and storing resolved processed data in the document base;
establishing management of the bridging relationship data items in the item list menu so as to permit searching in the bridging relationship database of the bridging relationship data corresponding to an input main key value during editing of one of the documents in order to generate the bridging relationship data in the document, and so as to record mutual bridging relationship data in the bridging relationship database;
if template creation was selected for execution, performing at least one of a number of sub-steps including:
selecting one of a number of layouts which already include a plurality of the document items from the layout base for conducting modifications;
selecting a pre-defined one of a number of item lists from the item list menu for redesigning of one of the layouts; and
defining new document items and designing a new layout which includes the document items, the new document items and the new layout being stored separately in the item list menu and the layout base;
if search processing was selected for execution: specifying a search condition through the input portion; determining if the search condition is to be used to search the document base entirely or a specified one of the document folders; if only the specified one of the document folders is to be searched, retrieving selectively the specified one of the document folders from the document base to the data buffer region for comparison; if the document base is to be searched entirely, comparing the search condition with contents of the document base and retrieving selectively all documents in the document base which meet the search condition; and
combining corresponding ones of the document data, layout and item list in one of the document folders of the document base to form a specified complete one of the documents, and outputting the complete one of the documents via the output portion.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, a fixed format word processing apparatus includes a data buffer region, an input portion and an output portion. This fixed format word processing comprises:
the data buffer region being partitioned into a document base for storing data of different document folders, a layout base for storing layouts, and an item list menu for storing item lists;
control means, connected to the input and output portions, for selecting between template creation and search processing based on a command input received thereby from the input portion;
template editing management means, connected to the control means and the data buffer region, for performing at least one of selecting from among the item lists that include a plurality of document items and the layouts which already exist from the item list menu and the layout base for conducting modifications, and defining new document items and designing a new layout which includes the document items, the new document items and the new layout being stored separately in the item list menu and the layout base; and
data searching means, connected to the control means and the data buffer region, for receiving from the control means a search condition that was specified via the input portion, for comparing the search condition with at least a specified one of the document folders selected from the document base, and for retrieving all documents in the at least a specified one of the document folders selected from the document base which meet the search condition.
The control means includes means for combining corresponding ones of the document data, layout and item list in one of the document folders of the document base to form a specified complete one of the documents, and for outputting the complete one of the documents via the output portion.
According to a further aspect of the present invention, the fixed format word processing apparatus may comprise:
the data buffer region being partitioned into a document base for storing data of different document folders, a bridging relationship database for storing bridging relationship item data, a layout base for storing layouts, and an item list menu for storing item lists;
control means, connected to the input and output portions, for selecting from among document editing management, template creation and search processing based on a command input received thereby from the input portion; document editing management means, connected to the control means and the data buffer region, for performing at least one of editing and managing of an existing one of the documents or a new document for a specified one of the document folders of the document base to obtain processed data, the document editing including at least one of data copying, cutting, pasting, saving and character inputting, the document managing including at least one of modifying, deleting, saving and printing of the documents, the document editing management means resolving the processed data according to the different item types of the document data and storing resolved processed data in the document base;
bridging relationship management means, connected to the document editing management means and the data buffer region, for establishing bridging relationship data item management in the item list menu so as to permit searching in the bridging relationship database of the bridging relationship data corresponding to an input item data in order to generate the bridging relationship data in the document, and so as to record mutual bridging relationship data in the bridging relationship database;
template editing management means, connected to the control means and the data buffer region, for selecting from among the item lists that include a plurality of document items and the layouts which already exist from the item list menu and the layout base for conducting modifications, and for defining new document items and designing a new layout which includes the document items, the template editing management means storing separately the new document items and the new layout in the item list menu and the layout base; and
data searching means, connected to the control means and the data buffer region, for receiving from the control means a search condition that was specified via the input portion, for comparing the search condition with at least a specified one of the document folders selected from the document base, and for retrieving all of the documents in the at least a specified one of the document folders of the document base which meet the search condition, in which case the control means includes means for combining corresponding ones of the document data, layout and item list in one of the document folders of the document base to form a specified complete one of the documents, and for outputting the complete one of the documents via the output portion.
According to the fixed format word processing apparatus of the present invention, after a command is inputted via the input portion, the control means will determine whether the user intends to execute document editing management, template creation or search processing. When executing document editing management is desired to be performed, the user performs document editing, including data copying, cutting, pasting, saving and character inputting, or document management, including modifying, deleting, saving and printing of the documents, of an existing one of the documents or a new document for a specified one of the document folders of the document base with the use of the document editing management means. After processing has been completed, the processed data is resolved according to the different item types prior to storage in the document base. Aside from the different item menus of the documents, bridging relationship data items are also stored in the item list menu.
Thus, when the user is editing data, the bridging relationship data managing means will refer to or store data in the bridging relationship database according to the item data inputted by the user. When executing template creation is desired to be performed with the use of the template editing management means, the user can select a layout which already includes a plurality of the document items from the layout base for conducting modifications, or select a pre-defined item list from the item list menu for redesigning of one of the layouts, or define new document items and design a new layout which includes the document items, the new document items and the new layout being stored separately in the item list menu and the layout base. The data searching means determines if a search condition has been specified by the user via the input portion, compares the same with a specified document folder of the document base or with the entire document base, and retrieves all documents in the document folder or the document base which meet the specified search condition. The results of the search or data editing management are combined with the corresponding layout and item list to form a complete document that is outputted via the output portion.